Khekho The Tiger Challenger: an oral Biography by Nokho Nyekha and co author Dili Khekho with a foreword by Prof Dr Xavier Mao was launched on December 14 at D/CAFÉ Kohima .
Nokho N, the author of the book in her introductory remark expressed immense joy in bringing the book to life amidst a close circle . The concept of the book took birth in 2019 where Dili the co-author and owner of D/Cafe Kohima’s vision of bringing the story of his greatgrandfather to life thus led to the publishing of the book highlighting the extraordinary life of the legend. “I wish to have a small book written about my Great Grandfather Dili Khekho, I don’t want his legacy to become a forgotten history,” Dili expressed.
Highlighting the excerpt of the book, Nokho added, “Dili Khekho, a man who owned his own surname. A man who was unshaken by peer pressure and unafraid of challenging the norms of the world he lived in.”
Emphasising on the importance of inheriting Naga History, Nokho stated that Naga History is encompassed by myths and legends and one cannot overlook them while trying to understand where we came from. Contrary to the common ideal that folk narratives are mythical the allegories contain truth, Nyekha added. She also mentioned that the most precious heirloom indigenous people can inherit from their parents is the oral narratives of their ancestors. “Oral tradition is a deeply rooted culture, diligently passed on from one generation to the next with great care. That way focus is based on the emotions and not the pompous way of stomping facts and figures. Rather than making the new generation memorize the stories of bygone era , they are well preserved,” remarked Nyekha.
With the onset of modern education, the author rued that oral tradition is a dying art where efforts are needed to keep our history alive.
“Khekho the Tiger challenger is an oral biography , story of Dili in particular but this is also the story of Tiger’s intricate relationship with men travelling back a century back down the memory lane of ancestors of Mao Naga tribe. Thoughts preserved the cruel passage of time, untouched, unaffected by the fast developing world. This is an effort to bring oral anecdotes into written form with the hope that it can survive for a few more generations,” added Nyekha.
Special Guest, Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Higher Education and Tourism congratulated the authors, stressing on the importance of developing thought processes shaped by one’s indigenity.
Lamenting on the advancement of technology and disadvantage of keeping up with the hobby of reading books, Imna stated that whatever knowledge he has garnered over the years is because of reading books. “People are mostly dependent on technology but reading books should still be inculcated among the newer generations,” Along highlighted.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
He also asserted, “Nagas have plethora of stories to tell. Not having a Naga script might seem as a problem and deprivation but it is our strength. Younger generations should not be cut out of the oral story telling but preserve them for the generations to come.”
Sandeep Madhukar Tamgadge IPS, ADGP in his brief note on the book stated that the book has been a very professional piece. He also highlighted the importance of transferring oral traditions from one generation down to other through ways of stories . “None of the Naga Tribes have written scripts and so it becomes very important to rethink on carrying forward the traditional knowledge. The efforts put into Khekho The Tiger Challenger is intact, a noble initiative in preserving history,” the ADGP highlighted.
About the Authors:
Nokho N is a freelance writer; slow traveller; and an independent researcher of indigenous traditions. Her primary interest lie in the life of her ancestors before the advent of the British era. She have spent the last decade traversing into the rural areas, documenting the oral tradition of the Nagas.
She often contributes to media outlets focusing on travel and culture. She also writes poetry as a hobby , under the pen name “ n.n” . She is a 2022-23 grantee of Zubaan Publishers Research Grant. Her first book titled “Tracing Her Prints” is also a biography. She has also contributed children stories to Pratham, among others.
T. Dili Khekho is the great grandson of K. Dili Khekho. He is an entrepreneur and owns a café in Kohima called D’café.
